A high-risk sex offender has been sent back to jail – a year after being released from a sentence imposed for abusing young girls.

Jason Gatting, 43, was jailed in 2007 for grooming and sexually assaulting two girls aged nine and seven. The parole board thought he was such a risk to children that he was not deemed safe for release from his indeterminate sentence until 2016.

But a year after gaining his freedom he breached the terms of a court order designed to protect children from his attention. The defendant had not tried to molest any children but he had met some children without telling their parents about his past.

A 67-year-old man has been told he could spend the rest of his life in prison after being jailed for raping and sexually assaulting a girl in Tiverton 20 years ago.

David Tilley’s victim was so traumatised by his sick behaviour that she kept it a secret for years. But eventually the psychological burden became too great and her evidence led to the conviction of the pensioner.

Tilley denied eight serious historic sexual offences against the girl, including rape and indecent assault, but was found guilty by a jury this week at Exeter Crown Court.

A driver who left a family with life-threatening injuries after causing a horror crash on the A35 was ‘doubly disqualified’ at the time of the collision.

John Cove, 31, was speeding on the main road between Honiton and Axminster just before midnight on November 18, 2016, when he lost control of his BMW on a right hand bend, crossed the central line and hit a Renault Megane coming the other way.

All five occupants of the car were injured in the collision including Anna Szkutnik, her six-year-old daughter Oliwia Koziol and her cousin Izabela Szewc.

A former teacher who worked with children across Devon been jailed for 12 years after being convicted of 17 non-recent sexual offences.

Paul Ruth, 52, appeared before Plymouth Crown Court for sentencing on Wednesday after previously pleading guilty to 17 offences including sexual assault on a child under 13 by touching, indecent assault, committing an act of gross indecency in front of a child and buggery.

The charges relate to six victims, with offences being committed in Plymouth between 1991 and 2009.